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♪ ♪ all right. the world's largest retailer getting serious about selling products made right here in america. >> walmart's plan is to spend $50 billion over the next ten years on new products all made right here in the usa. david mere has championed abc's made in america effort and has the full story. >> reporter: walmart with that bold promise, buying an additional $50 billion in goods to sell made in america over the

next decade. it comes after years of criticism that walmart doesn't pay enough in wages, that the company sells too many products made overseas. critics arguing that's how they keep their prices so low. we asked walmart shoppers to check the labels. didn't take long. >> made in china. >> reporter: this couple and their new stool. >> made in china. >> reporter: but walmart u.s. was adamant saying two-thirds of what it sells in america is sourced right here in america. they're now promising more. maria still searching that cart did find something. >> this one is made in the usa. >> reporter: and that promise of $50 billion more spent -- >> they could spend that $50 billion the first year. they could create as much as 170,000 jobs in the united states. >> reporter: they'll likely spread that money out over the next decade, but they'll still be creating thousands of jobs. it's now a big name behind a big trend. companies suddenly arguing the manufacturing overseas doesn't always add up anymore. apple revealing some of its mac

computers will soon say "made in america." looking at factories in europe and asia, choosing upstate new york. l >> labor costs in asia are rising. the equation is changing. >> reporter: but we wanted proof. american companies weighing in. coleman coolers pointing to 160,000 manufacturing jobs helped by their partnership with walmart. in georgia, they'd being asking walmart, why not a deal to make them here? the deal has been made. >> this is one of the towels walmart will have in store with our made here packaging on it. >> it says made in america? >> it does. >> reporter: towels made here about to be shipped to your local walmart. 600 stores this spring and another 600 next fall? >> that's correct. >> reporter: the factory telling us up to 50 new jobs created.

abc news, new york. >> just a great idea, obviously. >> it's a great idea, especially for walmart. we just learned walmart makes $36 million every hour of every day. >> that is just amazing. >> it's astonishing, and it's the largest company in the world. that number, the $36 million, every hour of every day, breaks down to $20,928 in profit every minute. so imagine -- >> every minute? >> every minute. but imagine if they're selling and partnering with things that are made in the usa. it's going to be just enormous for our economy. >> it's the largest company in world's history, walmart. they sell more food than -- food -- than any company in the world. >> i had no idea. >> that's how massive it is. 1.6 million employees. >> i think this could really make a difference in our economy. we need it. all right. coming up, what happens when two retirees head to prison with

their knitting kits. >> we'll show you those doing hard time with needles and yarn. you can't miss that. stay tuned. you're watching "world news now." stay tuned. you're watching "world news now."

♪ good musical choice, huh? good musical choice.

>> good stuff. all right. when you think about criminals serving time behind bars, you probably figure they're pumping iron or shooting hoops. >> and knitting is probably the last thing that comes to mind. two retirees are turning convicts into converts with yarn. here's abc's t.j. winnick with more. >> reporter: barbed wire fences, watchman towers, and a group of men with felony convictions. >> armed kidnapping. >> attempted murder. >> reporter: but listen closer, and you realize there's more here than meets the eye. >> i'm knitting a small hat for a kid. >> reporter: that softer side appears every thursday around dusk with two unusual visitors to the prerelease unit in jessup, maryland. meet lynn and sheila. you wanted to give knitting needles to hardened criminals? is that a good idea? >> for a man to pick up knitting needles and walk through that door, they've already shown

themselves as being open people. >> reporter: there are going to see people that see this story and think that doing a knitting class isn't something that fits the punishment. i had one of the guys put me through the paces. >> wrap it around. >> reporter: in other words, you have to say it. >> you did it. >> reporter: everything they knit goes to charitable causes, like these hats for students at troubled inner city schools. >> you know he did a lot of wrong in society, so i guess this is the way of giving back. >> reporter: lynn and sheila say they've seen their students change for the better. >> these guys are getting out. they can't go one day from doing hard time to the next time being on the streets. they have to make a transition somehow. >> reporter: i'm t.j. winnick in jessup, maryland. >> that was a nice one. >> that was a nice hat. >> some of these inmates

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♪ and now it's time for "the mix." i love this particular story because i love all things spa. remember a little while ago these fish pedicures kind of blew up? i don't know if you remember. >> have you done it? >> i haven't done it. i haven't been able to find one in new york, believe it or not. in arizona, this spa owner is challenging the state owners -- see there? the regulators are saying in arizona you can't do it because it's some sort of health hazard because these sorts of tools it like fish have to be disinfected and sanitized. >> how do you disinfect a fish? >> you can't really do it. is that video of diane sawyer doing it? >> she did it on the -- >> i believe so. now this spa owner is saying this isn't fair. i've lost a significant investment of about $40,000. this was profitable, and i want to be able to give these fish pedicures.

we'll see what happens. >> i think i'd be a little -- >> it does seem a little creepy, but i want to try it. >> try everything once, right? all right. i picked this next story because i want to say the word wedgy. got to love it. there's a man arrested in florida, 18 years old, for giving people wedgies. he's a prankster. he likes to record these things and put them online. i guess that's him. 18-year-old charles ross took the stunt too far on sunday. he ended up in jail charged with misdemeanor battery. he was arrested at the royal palm movie theater giving people he didn't know wedgies and recording them. he says it was supposed to be a joke. some people laughed. they see the humor in it. other people say they can't see the humor in it. >> i don't like that. >> i don't think i'd like a stranger giving me a wedgy. >> i don't think i'd like anyone giving me a wedgy, especially a stranger. >> he could get knocked out. >> and you're a big guy. >> i'd feel so wimpy. i'd hide. how about this?

6'9" star college basketball player. this is amazing. there was a wheelchair bound basketball fan at the game on saturday night. it was the win over south carolina state over number one duke. the fans rushed the court. the wheelchair guy right in the middle, he gets tossed to the ground. >> big time. >> this could have really ended very badly. well, c.j. leslie, 6'9", spots this going on, and scoops him up and saves his life. >> i mean, it was very dangerous for a little while. thank goodness for that. >> so we have a hoops hero. >> hoops hero, indeed. i love this story. a 67-year-old belgian woman has to pick her friend up at the train station. she winds up 900 miles away in croatia.

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this morning on "world news now," winter woes. ice on the west coast, heat in the south, and snow about to slam the northeast. >> it's the latest round of unpredictable weather in this ever changing season. it's wednesday, january 16th. from abc news, this is "world news now." >> good morning. i'm john muller. robb nelson is off today. >> and i'm sunny hostin in for paula faris. we'll have a look at the forecast in a minute. first, some of the other stories we're following for you this half hour. president obama is set to exercise his executive muscle. he'll announce new gun control measures today that don't need the okay from lawmakers. it comes on the heels of sweeping new legislation cracking down on guns in new york state. also this half hour, a little girl lost and found less than 24 hours after being abducted from a school. a 5-year-old is found hiding,

slivering, and half clothed under a slide in a playground. what happened in the hour she was missing, that's a mystery. this morning, we hear from the man who found her. and in "the skinny," charlie sheen, everybody remembers charlie sheen, from bad boy to the most traditional role of all. the latest and most unlikely surprise, really, from sheen. he says it's one that makes him feel, quote, like the world's going to crack in half. >> that's a tease. >> yeah, winning. >> winning. i'll stick around to hear about that. but first, let's talk about a messy weather system hitting states across the nation. >> from an ice storm to winds and rain to the threat of a significant snowfall, in southern california they're in the grips of an unusual cold snap. for drivers not yooused to icy roads, getting around was a challenge. for folks used to basking in the warm california sun, two layers and hand warmers were the must-have accessories. >> all right. in the state of alabama, a very

strange situation there. freezing rain and snow hit the northern part of the state. a layer of ice coated the trees and power lines. in the southern part of the state, it was muddy and warm. temperatures there near 80 degrees. that's wild stuff. after an unusually warm week, the winter weather hitting parts of alabama is stretching into the tennessee valley and the northeast. >> and the ice and snow could spell disaster on the roads. accuweather meteorologist jim dicky joins us with the forecast. good morning, jim. >> good morning, john and sunny. a wintry mess on our hands today. we have a frontal boundary stalled out from the mid-atlantic through the lower mississippi valley. wide range of temperatures here ahead of it. temperatures this morning in the 50s, near 60s, but 20s back on into the plains. that cold air remains at the surface. warm air aloft. that continues to keep freezing rain in place across especially eastern kentucky here. ice storm warnings ongoing. many spots have already seen a half inch of ice accumulating on power lines, on trees.

that could leave some power outages and certainly slick spots on the roadways. take your time as you head out and about this morning. this while we're dealing with snow from pennsylvania up through new england. many spots 1 to 3 inches of accumulation. back to you. >> thanks, jim. and 79 days after hurricane sandy slammed the northeast, lawmakers in the house have approved about $50 billion of additional relief for the region. the vote 241-180 passed mostly behind democratic support. on storm ravaged staten island, homes that cannot be salvaged are coming down. >> just so many great memories. we all grew up in this home. >> the senate is expected to quickly approve the funding bill and send it to president obama's desk. president obama unveils a sweeping gun control proposal today at the white house. it's expected to include a new ban on assault weapons and high capacity ammunition magazines as well as over a dozen steps that don't need congressional

approval. just yesterday new york governor andrew cuomo signed the nation's toughest gun control law into effect. among its provisions is a ban on assault weapons. meanwhile, two shootings to report. the first in kentucky. two people were killed and a teenager wounded when a gunman fired into their vehicle at a community college. it's believed the shooting stemmed from a domestic issue. a suspect later turned himself in. and in downtown st. louis, the financial aid director of a business school was wounded by an apparently disgruntled student. that student does have a mental disability and was told on monday he was losing his financial assistance. after shooting the administrator, the student then shot himself. both men remain hospitalized, which is really something. you're seeing more and more -- at least we're reporting on these incidents of shootings at schools after newtown. it just seems that it's

happening over and over again. of course, you know, we've got all this legislation coming in. at least from new york. i suspect we're going to see it just all over the country. >> clearly big controversy. listen to this one. the national rifle association releasing a new video on its website tuesday. it calls president obama a, quote, elitist hypocrite, for having secret service protection of his daughters at school but saying he was skeptical about installing guards in all schools. >> i think what's fascinating about that particular video, it starts out by saying in sort of this booming voice, are the president's kids more important than yours? then why is he skeptical about putting armed security in our schools when his kids are protected by armed guards at their school? >> don't you think that's c confusing the issue a little? he's the president. i mean, come on. >> clearly, but it goes to show you how emotional this issue is. >> absolutely. so let's cloud the issue so we can't get to the bottom of it, right? all right. more trouble this morning for the boeing dreamliner.

two japanese airlines have grounded their fleets of 787s after an emergency landing in western japan. the flight was headed to tokyo this morning when its battery alarm signal went off and passengers smelled smoke. the dreamliners have been plagued with a streak of problems. it's not clear when the japan airlines will fly again. and now to a bizarre kidnapping in philadelphia. a 5-year-old girl is back with her family after being abducted from her school. a woman claiming to be her child's mother took her from her kindergarten class monday. the surveillance video shows a woman in muslim garb covering everything but her eyes, similar to what the girl's mother wears. >> she said she was cold and somebody was chasing her. and she ran.

i asked her where's her mother and her father at. she said that, i don't know, somebody was chasing me, i ran. and she said she came from south philly. >> you knew something was -- >> yeah, i knew something was wrong. i said there's no way she could have ran from south philly. >> police say the girl showed no overt signs of injury, but it's still not clear if she was sexually assaulted. the school district is calling the incident a complete breakdown in protocol. well, a shoutout this morning to a colleague at our sister network, stewart scott. the sportscenter anchor battling an undisclosed type of cancer. he was diagnosed in 2007. scott has already had three chemo treatments. after each one, he's gone to work out. scott says that's his way of battling the disease. good luck to him. and to the latest on the lance armstrong case. armstrong may be coming clean to oprah, but that's not enough for anti-doping officials. they want the disgraced former champ to fully confess under

oath if he wants to return to the sports world. right now, armstrong is banned for life from participating in any olympic competition. >> interesting one there, huh? >> i know. i understand now that oprah is sort of breaking it up into a two-day interview. at first it was just one day. there's so much interest in it. i think what's intriguing to me is that he may be giving up other names because he wants to have less -- i guess he doesn't want this lifetime ban. is he really going to compete at this stage of his life? >> he's 41 years old. i'm wondering what he really imagines what he wants to do. by the way, oprah says he didn't come clean in the manner she expected. she didn't really qualify that. we'll have to see the interview and see what she means. >> who knows? everybody is going to watch. i know i am. we said this before here on "world news now," you never really know what's going to happen during a european soccer match. here's the latest evidence. >> got to love this one. two dogs somehow getting on to

the field last weekend during an exhibition match in turkey. one was running around with a hat in its mouth while getting friendly with some of the players. >> no one on the field seemed too concerned. eventually both dogs were carried off by grounds keepers. the game was allowed to resume. got to love that. >> really? well, coming up, we're talking sad songs. grab your tissue box and stick around. and later, forget the messy coupon organizer. how your new car might be able to tell you about great deals as you drive down the street. you're watching "world news now." how far will people go to relieve their sore throat?

try these. new cepacol sensations cools instantly, and has an active ingredient that stays with you long after the lozenge is gone. not just a sensation, sensational relief. have given way to sleeping. tossing and turning where sleepless nights yield to restful sleep. and lunesta®(eszopiclone) can help you get there. like it has for so many people before. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. lunesta should not be taken together with alcohol. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations, or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur.

alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions such as tongue or throat swelling occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness, and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. then find out how to get lunesta for as low as fifteen dollars at lunesta.com. there's a land of restful sleep. we can help you go there on the wings of lunesta.

♪ we are listening to adele on repeat around here, which has some of the staff in tears. willis is off in the corner crying. >> still crying, willis? >> now he's laughing. >> adele is no doubt one of the hottest singers, even winning a golden globe on sunday night. but is there a secret behind her music? lana zach is here to give us her take. good morning. >> good morning. you know, adele is a master at sad songs. she can turn haunting tunes and tear-inducing lyrics into chart toppers. some new research may just hold the clues as to why. is there a sad song you just love? >> definitely "jar of hearts" by christina perri.

>> "everybody hurts" by r.e.m. >> it would have to be adele, "o "someone like you." ♪ >> reporter: there is something funny about enjoying sadness, which got us wondering, are we just gluttons for punishment, or is there a reason we crave things that make us cry? researchers are finding our brains are actually hard wired to be thrilled by these bursts of sadness. >> music in a sense plays with this biology it that we have. >> reporter: this doctor measured signs of exhilaration, goose bump, increased heart rate, and found that great music produces a remarkable response in the brain. >> we found that it elicited activity similar to other strongly emotional and pleasurable stimulus like chocolate, like sex, and even like certain drugs such as cocaine. >> so can music be addictive? >> it gives you the same high,

the same pleasure you might get from something really dangerous like a drug. >> reporter: even since motzart's time, composures have known how to push our brain's buttons. listen to adele. hear how she holds that note on "you" and does that flourish at the end? that's it. scientists say our brain loves that tension. and it isn't just sad songs. apparently tragic movies make us happy. >> i'll never let go. i promise. >> reporter: maybe that's why "titanic" is one of the highest grossing films o f all time. >> it may seem counterintuitive to spend two hours with a sad movie and feel happy about your life. but because of the sad emotions, you think more about the people you care most about and it makes you a lot happier. >> i waited for you for seven

years. now it's too late. >> reporter: so next time you need a little pick me up, go ahead and curl up with "the notebook" or put kd lang on repeat. nothing makes us happier. and don't get the wrong impression. it isn't just the sad themes that move us in this way. classical music was tested and it was found that the rush came in sad songs without lyrics. >> i don't like sad movies. i like sunshine and rainbows and unicorns. >> there you go. sugar, spice, and everything nice. >> yes. >> i like sad songs. i love sad songs. i don't particularly like sad movies. >> i don't like a good cry. i did choose a favorite sad song. >> cue it up. >> i do like whitney houston's "i will always love you." who doesn't like that one? >> it makes you happy. it's counterintuitive. >> happy, but her voice is so incredible. >> you're smiling. i think you're happy.

>> here's one i picked that sort of still makes me feel good somehow. even though you want to slit your wrists. play it. ♪ i said something wrong now i long for yesterday ♪ >> that's so sad. >> i know. it makes me feel good. i don't know why. now i know why. it produces dopamine in my brain. >> do you have a favorite sad one? >> i have a sad song, a paul simon song "father and daughter." it's so sad i can't talk about it without getting choked up. we'll leave it at that. >> thanks so much for joining us this morning. we are sad now. thank you. >> but in a good way. thank you. all right. still to come, charlie sheen full of surprises. >> his next venture is surprisingly traditional and perhaps not so sad. you're watching "world news now." hey, travis... get some friends, loser!

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♪ that's right, willis. well, now it is time for "the skinny." "american idol" is rolling out tonight. i'm a big fan. i think you are as well. nicki minaj is opening up about that feud with mariah carey. she was on "ellen" today. take a listen to what she had to say. >> i heard them saying mariah doesn't want you on the panel.

i was like, i'm friends with mariah. i was arguing people down. don't believe everything you read. you're crazy. i went there and started feeling a little bit of the shade. i just kind of overcompensated by being crazier. i'm not a crazy psycho, you guys. i swear. i'm serious. >> see? that's the thing. we all saw sort of that tmz video where she was screaming at mariah. mariah told our very own barbara walters that she feared for her life and had to have extra security because nicki minaj threatened her. hopefully she isn't some crazy psycho and they get along at the end of the day on "american idol." we'll all certainly be watching. >> her life is rather extreme. >> well, apparently. according to mariah, she threatened her with violence. she said she was actually fearful. >> should we stick with "american idol"? >> yes. >> the judges are the focus of

the new season. there's a big price tag. $36 million worth of judges. >> i hope they're worth it. >> i hope they're worth it too. the show does too. the ratings have been eroded. its lost it's stat us as the most watched tv program of all time. it was eclipsed by sunday night football last year. the question is, will the big bucks of these judges be enough to get it back on top? >> we'll see. i'm going to be watching. charlie sheen has an interesting announcement. he's 47 years old and guess what he's going to be? >> what's he going to be? >> a grandfather. who knew? he had a child when he was 19 years old. her name is kasandcassandra. he takes it very seriously. he's actually kind of excited about it. so congratulations. >> wouldn't had e be the best grandpa ever in a way? >> he's cool. >> exactly. wouldn 'he can the coolest

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♪ well, if there was a high-tech way to save cash while you're driving, would you do it? >> saving cash is always good. i don't know about the driving part. there is an app, though, that can help you find a deal wile you're in your car. abc's abby boou droe took a test drive. >> reporter: those days of hunting through piles and piles of coupons to find that perfect deal are over. >> we're kind of moving into this age of the connected car. >> reporter: now a new app called proximity can help your car find deems as you drive. >> while you're driving around, you don't have to take your eyes off the road. >> reporter: now all those paper coupons you get in the mail will become realtime deals in the car. you start by launching the app

on your smart phone to your car. >> proximity, please say a command. >> lunch. >> reporter: it's so new, only some ford and lincoln drivers can access the app. >> oh, look. right here. >> reporter: the valpak offer was buy one fat deal meal and get a second one free, a savings of about $5. >> doesn't it taste better when it's free? >> reporter: okay. cop-a-tan just popped up. if it's a deal. this deal was buy one stray tan for $40 and get a second session free. if this deal never popped up, i never would have gotten it. i actually kind of like it. and there are thousands of other deals. even free doggy day care. but after a long day of wheeling and dealing, why not end it at the spa? this has to be the best deal of the day. the valpak offer was buy a

facial and get a free mani pedi, a savings of did i mention the app is free? a brks krrkb news, los angeles. >> oh, i love that. >> why do i get the feeling you're a coupon person? i think i'm speaking on behalf of most dudes -- >> you don't coupon? >> i like saving money, but i'm too lazy to coupon. >> now you don't have to because you have the app. >> i'm too lazy to get the app. all right. that's our news in a half hour. don't miss the updates on facebook at wnnfans.com. >> and on twitter. we'll be right back. you only know, in a fire, to get out, to escape, and now, okay, you're outside and you're safe,

but what do you do now? and that's where the red cross came in. we ran out of the house just wearing our pajamas. at that point, just to even have a toothbrush that i could call my own was so important, you know, it just makes you feel like a person again. . nicoh... oh! oh! red! red! red! yes! yes! come on! oh. no! . oh...mmer. [children shouting] hoops? yeah. sure. sure. announcer: moms everywhere are finding ways to keep kids active and healthy. works every time. announcer: get ideas. get involved. get going at letsmove.gov.

this morning on "world news now," planting the brakes on the dreamliner. two major airliners have just grounded their boeing 787 jets after an emergency landing. >> now the faa says it's monitoring the latest problems as it reviews the dreamliner's safe safety. it's wednesday, january 16th. from abc news, this is "world news now." >> good morning, i'm sunny hostin in for paula faria. >> i'm john muller. the problems are piling up for the 787 dreamliner. that's ahead. also ahead, a crucial day in the gun control battle. president obama set to take sweeping new proposals. and setting the record straight for almost 70 million americans. dr. richard besser busts one of the biggest myths about the flu

shot. did you get your flu shot? >> don't ask me. >> are you infecting the set, john? >>, >> no, i'm not. >> rob didn't get the flu shot. he just got it. later, nature's way. why being up close with a farm full of animals would be just what the doctor ordered. but first, the ongoing night mare for the dreamliner grounded this morning by its biggest customers after an emergency landing in japan. >> the boeing 787 has been plagued by one disturbing problem after another, prompting investigations in three countries. here's the very latest from tokyo. >> reporter: the latest incident came midflight on board this dreamliner bound for tokyo. the airline says a battery warning light went off less than an hour after takeoff. then came the smell of smoke. a smoke alert finally forced pilots to make an emergency landing in western japan and evacuate all 137 people on board

using an emergency chute. hours later, a & a apologized for the incident saying they would ground all 17 of its dreamliners indefinitely. japan airlines halted all of their flights for emergency inspections. last monday, a fire broke out aboard a tokyo bound flight in boston. the next day a fuel leak. a cracked cockpit window and faulty brake system have grounded several flights in japan. the dreamliner was supposed to be a game changer for boeing. the company's most fuel efficient jet with more than 800 orders to date. but just a year after takeoff, the problems have raised serious questions about its safety. the faa has lunched its own investigation into the 787. in a statement, the agency said it was monitoring reports of the latest incident in japan and plan to include the information in a comprehensive review. now, the dreamliner is

manufacturing and design. abc news, tokyo. >> and boeing released a statement a short time after that incident saying boeing is aware of the diversion of a 787 operated by ana to western japan. we will be working with our customers and the appropriate regulatory agencies. this is significant -- a significant problem. >> no doubt. >> if you look at the inside of these dreamliners, they're gorgeous. they look so comfortable. >> i know. >> but they've had a lot of problems. >> boeing is an american company. you're rooting for them big time. hopefully they work it out. there are 150 dreamliner flights every day, just so you know. >> as long as they're up in the air, it's fine. it seems like they're having issues. >> japan, france, and the u.s. all doing investigations. >> yes, yes. safety first. >> yep. well, school children will be on stage with president obama today when he unveils his new gun control proposal. they are expected to include a

new ban on assault weapons and high capacity ammunition magazines. president obama will also announce over a dozen steps that don't need congressional approval. that follows new york governor andrew cuomo's signing of the nation's toughest gun control law. it expands new york's ban on assault weapons and includes provisions to keep guns away from the mentally ill. and two powerful voices who will be lobbying lawmakers during the gun control debate are former congresswoman gabby giffords and her husband mark kelly. they indicated their effort was likely when they spoke recently with world news anchor diane sawyer. giffords and kelly are also behind a new initiative to curb gun violence called "americans for responsible solutions." all right. billions of dollars in sandy relief could soon be coming to the northeast. lawmakers in the house passed the bill last night despite a challenge from republican lawmakers. the measure now goes to the senate where it's expected to pass easily. included in the package is $16

billion to fix the transportation systems in new york and new jersey. and turning now to worries about the flu outbreak and some measures, extreme measures being taken to stop the spread of the virus. this new york soccer team is banning high fives and fist bumps after the governor declared a public health emergency. close to 20,000 cases have been reported in the state so far. ahead of the sundance film festival in utah, they're handing out 5,000 bottles of hand sanitizer. all right. despite the urging of public health officials to get a flu shot, 70 million americans believe that the vaccine will give them the flu. abc's chief medical editor dr. richard besser takes a look at the hard truth. >> i actually have the not gotten the flu shot. >> haven't had a flu shot this year. >> i don't think i need it. >> i don't have time for it. >> every time i get the flu shot i get sick. >> someone needs to do a better job of convincing me to get the flu shot. >> i think i'll get the flu if i get the flu shot. >> reporter: 69 million other

americans agree with her, thinking the flu shot will give them the flu. right outside our abc offices -- >> how can you get the flu from the flu shot? >> that's what they say. >> how can the flu shot give you the flu? i'm trying to understand. >> because it's a vaccine. to make the vaccine, you have to put some of the bacteria in it. >> you have to put the virus in it. >> reporter: i see the confusion. let me set all 69 million of you straight. getting the flu vaccine does not give you the flu. think of the flu shot as a video game. the shot is made of parts of three dead flu viruses. dead, not whole viruses. they don't work. they can't give you the flu. your immune system studies those virus parts, sees how they're made, and in about two weeks builds weapons, antibodies that will fight the live version of that virus. if you breathe in those strains of live flu, you'll have some immune system weapons that shoot that virus down. >> did you get your flu shot this year? >> no. >> not this year. >> reporter: you might want to

think again. >> as long as there's still flu going around in your community, there's time to get protected. and you can't get the flu from the flu shot. dr. richard besser, abc news, new york. >> i got my flu shot. >> good for you, sunny. after seeing dr. besser's little atari video version, that's the most compelling evidence yet. >> you got to get it. it doesn't give you 100% protection, but it's better than zero percent protection. >> i've been getting lectured for years. maybe i'll crack next season. maybe. >> hopefully. well, the u.s. treasury is dipping into its pension fund for federal employees to keep the government running. but it promises to pay the money back. the government reached its borrowing limit on new year's eve. the debt limit is $16.4 trillion. the u.s. could run out of money to pay its bills by the end of february if that debt ceiling isn't raised. congress is preparing to debate

it, but it could be a politically charged battle. all right. a big political comeback getting underway today. you might remember former south carolina governor mark sanford. well, back in 2009 he admitted to having an affair with a woman from argentina, who is now his fiance. he announced he's running for his old congressional seat. all right. and you don't hear a story like this often. it comes to us from the suburbs of stockholm, sweden. that's where a cleaning lady stole an empty commuter train and drove it into an apartment building. >> she was at the controls for about a mile. then the train derailed before hitting the building. the woman was seriously injured. she was the only person hurt. i guess she was the only one on the train. >> not good. what were you thinking? >> i wonder why she did that. >> i don't know. >> we need more information on that one. >> yeah, we do. let's talk about our wednesday weather. heavy rain from the gulf coast

into the carolinas. d.c. and philly, rain and sleet around new york city. up to 4 inches of snow from pittsburgh to boston. light snow around the dakotas. minneapolis and milwaukee. a milder day in the southwest. >> 40s in the pacific northwest. just 10 degrees in fargo. ouch. 30s across the midwest. all right. we know there are lots of parents out there who are awake with their crying newborns. here's an idea for you. >> the video is going viral right now. that right there is little benjamin being rocked by what's called the do it yourself autorocker. the secret, according to its inventer, is a variable speed drill running at its lowest setting. >> that's the coolest. it can also be used with car seats with a few modifications. what will they think of next? he looks quite happy. >> i'm a little nervous about the drill, i'll be honest. i'm one of those nervous moms. >> i know what you mean. >> what if he falls? i'm nervous.

i'm not comfortable. >> you're nervous now. after he's been crying for three hours, you're like, whatever, it works. >> i have had those early, early mornings. i'm not sure. >> he looks pretty happy. >> he does look happy. >> i want one of those seats. maybe it will work for me. >> you need one here, right? coming up, meet a family who says none of their nine kids will catch the flu thanks to where they live. first, facebook unveiling yet another change. this time it's personal. how their latest innovation is taking aim at google. you're watching "world news now." i'm only in my 60's... i've got a nice long life ahead. big plans. so when i found out medicare doesn't pay all my medical expenses, i looked at my options. then i got a medicare supplement insurance plan. [ male announcer ] if you're eligible for medicare,

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walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. lunesta should not be taken together with alcohol. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations, or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions such as tongue or throat swelling occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness, and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. then find out how to get lunesta for as low as fifteen dollars at lunesta.com. there's a land of restful sleep. we can help you go there on the wings of lunesta.

♪ ♪ all right. get ready for this one. after more than a year of development, facebook has unveiled a new search tool. >> it's already getting good results for its ease of use. abc's brandy hitt shows us how it works. >> reporter: good morning.

facebook is changing the way you search for information. it's launched a new search engine that could also help facebook out financially. for years, facebook users have only been able to search the social networking site for names and timelines. now facebook has launched graph search, which places the personal information you share into a personal database. >> we're really just starting off with a few basic types of things you can search for. people, photos, places, pages for businesses. >> reporter: maybe you're searching restaurants friends have posted comments about or are looking for a specific photo. >> this is really facebook coming back to their roots saying, we want to make it easier for you to find information about your friends. >> reporter: while facebook ceo mark zuckerberg insists users can only search content that's been share, abc news editor joanna stern says the company needs to do a better job explaining its privacy controls. this is also facebook's first

big announcement since its stock went public last year and took a tumble. >> the performance of the stock has been disappointing. >> reporter: in an interview last september, zuckerberg promised investors he was working on new ideas. graph search opens the door for more advertising dollars. >> advertising revenue that's going to be really targeted. they're going to know what people are searching now, and they can go target that just as google has. >> reporter: now, facebook's stock slid following the big announcement. early on, graph search will only be available to a limited number of people who use facebook in the u.s. john and sunny, back to you. >> very interesting. thank you so much, brandy. >> 1 in 13 people on the earth use facebook. >> yeah, i mean, you know, i'm not a huge facebook fan, but of course i use it. i'm a bigger twitter fan. >> i know. i have to get on board with twitter. >> yes, you do. >> i'll put that on the list. >> we'll see. >> all right. >> along with the flu shot. coming up, could eating from a vegetable garden help keep you from getting the flu?

>> could mr. ed replace your doctor? stay tuned. you're watching "world news now." the curfew you have imposed on me is an egregious infringement upon my social well-being and freedom. speaking of freedom - it is preposterous to suggest that i must have my homework done before playing video games. i know my rights, and you can't tell me what to do. mom, dad, you have thirty seconds for a response. does every conversation with your teen turn into a debate? call the boys town national hotline at 800-448-3000, or visit parenting.org. hd-3. parenting problems.

♪ well, do you know that song, willis? everyone around here is wiping

everything down with clorox and doing everything we can do to avoid the flu because a lot of people haven't gotten the flu shot. >> but i got the flu already. there you go. >> i don't know. >> there's research showing that dirt can actually be good, that the best medicine may be as close as a barn. here's the remedy. >> reporter: the mcdonald family had a farm, and on that farm they had not one, not two, but nine children. eight boys, one brave girl, each the picture of health. >> why do you think your kids are so healthy? >> good genes. >> reporter: good genes help, but it turns out so do these chickens and even the slobbering pigs. it might seem counterintuitive to a country obsessed with antibacterial lotions, but those animals could be one of the reasons these kids are so healthy. do your parents ever say to you, don't touch that it's dirty? >> only if it's really dirty.

>> reporter: one study found families on farms are almost half as likely to have asthma and nearly four times less likely to have hay fever. researchers say animals help kids grow antibodies to fight infections better. i got up close and personal with rosy. how much milk do you go through with nine kids? >> probably two gallons a day. >> two gallons a day? >> yeah. >> you better get another cow. >> reporter: but you don't need a pet cow. exposure to a family cat will have 6% fewer infections. babies raised around dogs will have 31% fewer infections. researchers believe they help immune systems mature faster. and on the farm, the mcdonalds make their own music too, improving memory, immunity, and muscle tone, keep the family and their health in perfect harmony.

♪ abc news, new york. >> now, that's fascinating to me. as a city dweller, sometimes you think, oh, well, you know, being on a farm, there are a lot of germs with the animals and that. the opposite is true. >> it's natural. you build up resistance to these things by being exposed. >> yeah. >> remember when you had your newborns and you were like, do you put them on the grass? the answer is yes, you do. >> i have three dogs. i have birds. >> so your kids are all juiced up. >> yes, i have a lot of animals. one note, you don't need a big farm for a city dweller. apparently a small backyard garden could mean you'll eat five times as many vegetables as normal, lowering your risk of cardiovascular disease. how about that? >> sounds good. i grow green beans, asparagus, corn. i'm running out of space. >> i'm so primpressed with that. lt to grow.

ustrating. it's hard to turn off and go back to sleep. intermezzo is the first and only prescription sleep aid approved for use as needed in the middle of the night when you can't get back to sleep. it's an effective sleep medicine you don't take before bedtime. take it in bed only when you need it and have at least four hours left for sleep. do not take intermezzo if you have had an allergic reaction to drugs containing zolpidem, such as ambien. allergic reactions such as shortness of breath or swelling of your tongue or throat may occur and may be fatal. intermezzo should not be taken if you have taken another sleep medicine at bedtime or in the middle of the night or drank alcohol that day. do not drive or operate machinery until at least 4 hours after taking intermezzo and you're fully awake. driving, eating, or engaging in other activities while not fully awake without remembering the event the next day have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations, or confusion. alcohol or taking other medicines that make you sleepy

may increase these risks. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. intermezzo, like most sleep medicines, has some risk of dependency. common side effects are headache, nausea, and fatigue. so if you suffer from middle-of-the-night insomnia, ask your doctor about intermezzo and return to sleep again. ♪

until it's completely clean. lysol toilet bowl cleaner kills 99.9% of germs and removes stains better than clorox toilet bowl cleaner with bleach. so if you want to do the whole job, lysol's got you covered. this is another! ta-daa! try charmin ultra strong. it cleans so well and you can use up to four times less than the leading value brand. oh! there it is. thanks son. hey! [ female announcer ] charmin ultra strong has a duraclean texture that can help you get clean while still using less. and it's four times stronger versus the leading value brand. charmin ultra strong helps keep you and your underwear clean. we all go. why not enjoy the go with charmin ultra strong?

♪ ♪ well, how would you like a chicken coop in your neighbor's backyard? we've been talking about this. we both want chickens. that's just us. a group called hens for houston is trying to ease restrictions so people can do just that. >> the problem is the law states a chicken cannot be within 100 feet of a neighboring home, and that's hard to do in most neighborhoods. important to note here the movement is allowing more chickens, not necessarily roosters. >> interesting. >> yeah, roosters are a whole different ball game. i don't want to hear a rooster in the morning. >> that's true. keeping with our animal theme, have you ever wondered what a hedgehog sounds like ? you're now in luck.

the world's oldest archive of nature sounds is now online. >> we'll test your animal instinc instincts, our animal instincts. sunny -- >> i'm from the bronx. i'm not going to know any of these. >> i'm not much better. >> that's a donkey. >> i don't even have a guess. >> woodpecker. >> a woodpecker? oh, it's a walrus. >> all right. next one. >> i had no idea. a toad. frog. >> a pig. >> a dolphin. a whale. [ dinging ] killer whale. >> an orca. >> got another one? >> that's a snake. a cobra. a python. >> rattlesnake. [ dinging ]

>> oh. there are snakes in the bronx. i knew that. anymore? we're getting good now. >> all right. let's do another one. that sounds like a woodpecker. >> oh, that was good. >> thank you, willis. >> any others? that -- >> one more. >> oh, i don't like the way that sounds. >> that's scary whatever it is. >> that's like a dog howling. >> a hyena? >> a monkey? bird? a bird of prey? >> some kind of animal? >> i don't know that one. >> we give up. what is it? asian elephant. as opposed to the african elephant. >> i never would have gotten that one. >> now we're running out of time. i enjoyed that. >> that was fun. >> we have to do that again sometime soon. >> that was good. sometime soon. >> that was good. ♪ today is saturday ♪ salad on saturday ♪ fruit on friday

♪ throw a ball thursday ♪ water, water wednesday ♪ touch your toes tuesday ♪ ♪ let's move monday ♪ swap a snack sunday announcer: 60 minutes of physical activity a day and eating well can help get your child healthy. so keep them active and eating well every day. get ideas. get involved. get going at letsmove.gov. that's letsmove.gov. i so, here's a question tough for you.s... if you had the power... to save a life... would you? i have a chance to survive blood cancer... because my big sister answered "yes" to being my marrow donor. right now, you can go to bethematch.org... and offer a cure to someone with a disease like leukemia. so...what will your answer be?

this is a home. this home is where my heart is. this home is where my heart is. tens of thousands of homes in new york were destroyed by hurricane sandy. my heart is in this home in breezy point. this home in staten island, in queens, in long island, in coney island. text relief to 80000 or visit reliefny.org. join governor cuomo and new york to help rebuild. because while the hurricane is behind us, the damage is not.

this morning on "world news now," the president's proposal on gun a little more than a month after a newtown tragedy. today he makes a major announcement. >> the measures promise to be america's most sweeping attempt in 20 years to halt gun violence. it's wednesday, january 16th. from abc news, this is "world news now." good morning. i'm john muller in for rob nelson. >> i'm sunny hostin. paula faris is off today. the president will be joined by children from around the country as he releases his gun proposal. that will be, i think, an interesting sight. also this half hour, the end of a desperate search. an alert passerby finds a little girl who was kidnapped right out of her school. and walmart is making made in america its next big thing. the biggest retailer spending

billions on goods made right here in the usa. and get this, a prison yarn. the felons knitting behind bars, helping good causes and changes lives. that's something i never thought i would see. >> there you go. first, president obama's effort to curb gun violence. when he makes his announcement today at the white house, he'll be surrounded by children who have written to him since the school shootings in connecticut. >> among the president's proposals are a ban on assault weapons and high capacity clips. >> the president's announcement follows the signing of a tough new gun law here in new york. abc's pierre thomas has more. >> reporter: we've all seen the faces, young men accused of horrific mass shootings, looking unstable, believed to be mentally ill. they were ticking time bombs who sometimes had encounters with mental health professionals. could they have been stopped? new york state officials are

leading the way, passing a new law they hope will block violent acts by the mentally ill. >> we must stop the madness. >> reporter: the new law would require mental health professionals to state officials any patient they deem to be a significant risk or threat. this would stop mentally ill patients from buying weapons, no court order needed. >> this could be a change that potentially opens up a huge number of patients to the intrusion of the state having their name, knowing that they're in treatment. >> reporter: the law might have made a difference in shootings at virginia tech and a colorado movie theater. in both cases, the young men received mental health counseling. some doctors are worried this will destroy trust with patients. >> people who are concerned about their privacy may decide not even to come to treatment in the first place. people with mental illness account for a very small proportion of the violence that's committed. >> reporter: but victims in mass

shootings want something done about the mentally ill's access to guns. >> they all have a common thread. it's all two parts. mentally ill people with guns. come on. that's a lethal combination. >> reporter: the question now, will america follow new york's lead? pierre thomas, abc news, washington. well, lance armstrong may be admitting to oprah he doped, but apparently that's not enough if he wants a return to sports. the world anti-doping agency says the former tour de france champ must confess under oath before it will consider lifting a lifetime ban. they say armstrong's appearance with oprah is only part of his larger scheme. >> everything that's been happening in the last week is self-serving, and it's all about salvaging what's left of his brand. >> armstrong reportedly hopes to return to competition in recognized triathlon events. all right. police in philadelphia are trying to track down a woman

behind a brazen kidnapping. she walked into an elementary school and walked out with a 5-year-old girl just five minutes after the kindergartener's mother dropped her off. after an ordeal that lasted almost 24 hours, the child was found by a stranger. we get the latest from sarah bloomquist. >> when i was walking past the playground, i heard a scream saying, help, help. when i heard it, when i was going down, i seen the little girl underneath the slide. >> reporter: that little girl was the 5-year-old girl abducted from a school beneath a slide here at the playground at the 69th street recreation area. 27-year-old nelson mandela myers was walking to 69th street terminal at 4:40 a.m. on his way to his job as a sanitation worker. he heard those cries for help, but first mistaking them for a cat. he found the child was barefoot and wearing nothing but an adult's t-shirt that reached her ankles. she was dirty and had a fresh cut across her chin.

she was shivering so badly she could barely say her own name. >> she said she was cold and somebody was chasing her and she ran. i asked her where's her mother and father at? she said that, i don't know, somebody was chasing me, i ran. she said she came from south philly. i knew something was wrong because then i said there's no way she could have ran from south philly. >> reporter: myers and his wife are foster parents to their own 5-year-old and 3-year-old. he said he thought of his own little girl as he held the kidnapped child. he's comfortable with being called a good samaritan. >> i can see them calling me that because i am a good guy and a humble guy. i just wanted to do the same thing somebody would do for my child. >> great guy. >> well, and he is getting a $10,000 reward because there was a reward out. but this case really bothers me.

first of all, complete breakdown at the school, right, that someone was able to come in and take this little girl. what's interesting is her mother did wear that sort of muslim garb. how did this other woman know to wear that? it's as if this child was targeted. something just doesn't make sense to me. >> yeah, i'm sure the investigation will reveal new details. by the way, myers got a $10,000 reward. >> did i say $10,000? >> i don't know. did you say it? i didn't hear you say it. >> it's 3:00 in the morning. >> we'll forgive you. if i'm correcting you for something you didn't say, forgive me. by the way, that was sarah bloomquist. there are important new clues this morning in the search for an autism cure. new research confirms that some children who get an early diagnosis outgrow the disorder by the time they're adults. the study involved only a small number of children, but experts are poring over the results to

see what made the difference in their lives. that's a significant story. >> dr. richard besser will have more on "gma." one of the quotes says subsequent reports from the study should tell us more about the nature of autism and the role of therapy and factors in the long-term outcome for these children. that's very encouraging. >> it is, it is. we're hearing so much more about autism and the testing that's being done. it seems that the earlier it's caught that the treatment options are better. >> certainly does. >> perhaps this is a move in the right direction. ready to talk about your favorite subject of the morning? the flu? the flu season delivering a knockout punch to many people across the country. the folks at the sundance film festival aren't taking chances. the hospitals in park city, utah, handing out 5,000 bottles of hand sanitizer, hoping to keep the flu from spreading with 50,000 visitors.

that won't nearly be enough sanitizer. they're also asking guests to bring their own. >> i didn't think the sanitizer would work, actually. it's a virus, not a bacteria. >> but washing your hands, no matter what -- >> you're not touching things. >> exactly right. i don't know. >> i'm going to have to use some on the desk because john hasn't gotten the shot. >> but i already got the flu. i'm all juiced up. i got it crossed off the list. i'm good to go. >> i hope so. here's a look at your forecast. sleet and snow from western pennsylvania to new england. mostly rainy from new york to d.c. the carolinas and the gulf coast near record highs from orlando and south. there will be light snow around bismarck and green bay. >> mostly 30s in the midwest. 30s from omaha to dallas. 30s in salt lake city and albuquerque. well, getting older is getting harder, at least financially. a new study is underscoring how the economy is really taking a toll on middle class workers over 50. the report done by the aarp says

today's workers are less likely to enjoy a secure retirement, let alone the kind their parents or grandparents enjoyed. the reason? well, health care costs are rising faster than wages. another sobering number, the study predicts that social security will account for just 51% of what middle income retirees have to live on. the average social security payment is just over $13,000 a year. >> kind of scary there, huh? all right. somewhat strange situation being dealt with at chicago's o'hare airport. since a week before christmas, they have been holding three sealed containers. inside, get, this are 18 human heads. they've been used in medical research apparently. the containers were held up after arriving because of incomplete paperwork. once that's taken care of, the heads will be cremated. turns out such shipments are common place and hundreds of heads criss-cross the globe all the time. wouldn't want to get that

package by accident. >> i guess it's good for medical research. they do use cadavers for that. >> yes, they do. remember the frog in ninth grade biology? >> yes, and i hated that. that's why i became a lawyer not a doctor. coming up, an unusual past time. how some prison inmates are getting in touch with their softer side and providing warmth for people who need it. but first, investment in america. one of the nation's largest retailers is pledging to sell american. you're watching "world news now." before the sneeze, help protect with a spray. before the tissue, help defend with a wipe. before the cold & flu season, help prevent with lysol. because when you have 10 times more protection with each hand wash...

and kill 99.9% of germs around the house with each spray... those healthy habits start to add up. this season, a good offense is the best defense one of the nation's largest cod because that's our mission for health. have given way to sleeping. tossing and turning where sleepless nights yield to restful sleep. and lunesta®(eszopiclone) can help you get there. like it has for so many people before. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. lunesta should not be taken together with alcohol. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations, or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions such as tongue or throat swelling occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness, and morning drowsiness.

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♪ all right. the world's largest retailer getting serious about selling products made right here in america. >> walmart's plan is to spend $50 billion over the next ten years on new products all made right here in the usa. david muir has championed abc's made in america effort and has the full story. >> reporter: walmart with that bold promise, buying an additional $50 billion in goods to sell made in america over the next decade.

it comes after years of criticism that walmart doesn't pay enough in wages, that the company sells too many products made overseas. critics arguing that's how they keep their prices so low. we asked walmart shoppers to check the labels. didn't take long. >> made in china. >> reporter: this couple and their new stool. >> made in china. >> reporter: but walmart u.s. was adamant saying two-thirds of what it sells in america is sourced right here in america. they're now promising more. maria still searching that cart did find something. >> this one is made in the usa. >> reporter: and that promise of $50 billion more spent -- >> they could spend that $50 billion the first year. they could create as much as 170,000 jobs in the united states. >> reporter: they'll likely spread that money out over the next decade, but they'll still be creating thousands of jobs. it's now a big name behind a big trend. companies suddenly arguing the manufacturing overseas doesn't always add up anymore. apple revealing some of its mac computers will soon say "made in america."

looking at factories in europe and asia, choosing upstate new york. we heard about that slowly changing math from walmart. >> labor costs in asia are rising. oil and transportation costs are high. the equation is changing. >> reporter: but we wanted proof. american companies weighing in. coleman coolers pointing to 160,000 manufacturing jobs helped by their partnership with walmart. in georgia, they'd being asking walmart, why not a deal to make them here? the deal has been made. >> this is one of the towels walmart will have in store with our made here packaging on it. >> it says made in america? >> it does. >> reporter: towels made here about to be shipped to your local walmart. 600 stores this spring and another 600 next fall? >> that's correct. >> reporter: the factory telling us up to 50 new jobs created.

david muir, abc news, new york. >> just a great idea, obviously. >> it's a great idea, especially for walmart. we just learned walmart makes $36 million every hour of every day. >> that is just amazing. >> it's astonishing, and it's the largest company in the world. that number, the $36 million, every hour of every day, breaks down to $20,928 in profit every minute. so imagine -- >> every minute? >> every minute. but imagine if they're selling and partnering with things that are made in the usa. it's going to be just enormous for our economy. >> it's the largest company in world's history, walmart. they sell more food than -- food -- than any company in the world. >> i had no idea. >> that's how massive it is. 1.6 million employees. >> i think this could really make a difference in our economy. we need it. all right. coming up, what happens when two

retirees head to prison with their knitting kits. >> we'll show you those doing hard time with needles and yarn. you can't miss that. stay tuned. you're watching "world news now." memories in their home and then saw it slipping away. until friends they have never met, turned out to lend a hand. for more than 30 years, rebuilding together has spread hope to home owners in need. providing free home rehabilitation, making homes safer and more energy efficient. go to rebuilding together dot org and share the feeling of home.

♪ ♪ good musical choice, huh? good musical choice. >> good stuff. all right.

when you think about criminals serving time behind bars, you probably figure they're pumping iron or shooting hoops. >> and knitting is probably the last thing that comes to mind. two retirees are turning convicts into converts with yarn. here's abc's t.j. winick with more. >> reporter: barbed wire fences, watchman towers, and a group of men with felony convictions. >> i'm arrested for armed kidnapping. >> attempted murder. >> reporter: but listen closer, and you realize there's more here than meets the eye. >> i'm knitting a small hat for a kid. >> reporter: that softer side appears every thursday around dusk with two unusual visitors to the prerelease unit in jessup, maryland. meet lynn and sheila. you wanted to give knitting needles to hardened criminals? is that a good idea? >> for a man to pick up knitting needles and walk through that door, they've already shown themselves as being open people. >> reporter: there are going to

people that will see this story and might feel like going to a knitting class might not fit their idea of serving a jail sentence. what would you say to them? >> i'm doing something constructive. i could be doing a lot worse. >> reporter: i had one of the guys put me through the paces. >> wrap it around. >> reporter: in other words, you have to say it. >> you did it. >> reporter: everything they knit goes to charitable causes, like these hats for students at troubled inner city schools. >> you know he did a lot of wrong in society, so i guess this is the way of giving back. >> reporter: lynn and sheila say they've seen their students change for the better. >> these guys are getting out. they can't go one day from doing hard time to the next time being on the streets. they have to make a transition somehow. >> reporter: i'm t.j. winick in jessup, maryland. >> that was a nice one. >> that was a nice hat. >> i'd waer -- wear it. >> some of these inmates actually skip dinner to take the knitting class.

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and now it's time for "the mix." i love this particular story because i love all things spa. remember a little while ago these fish pedicures kind of blew up? i don't know if you remember. >> have you done it? >> i haven't done it. i haven't been able to find one in new york, believe it or not. in arizona, this spa owner is challenging the state owners -- see there? the regulators are saying in arizona you can't do it because it's some sort of health hazard because these sorts of tools it like fish have to be disinfected and sanitized. >> how do you disinfect a fish? >> you can't really do it. is that video of diane sawyer doing it? >> she did it on the -- >> i believe so. now this spa owner is saying this isn't fair. i've lost a significant investment of about $40,000. this was profitable, and i want to be able to give these fish pedicures. we'll see what happens. >> i think i'd be a little --

>> it does seem a little creepy, but i want to try it. >> try everything once, right? all right. i picked this next story because i want to say the word wedgy. got to love it. there's a man arrested in florida, 18 years old, for giving people wedgies. he's a prankster. he likes to record these things and put them online. i guess that's him. 18-year-old charles ross took the stunt too far on sunday. he ended up in jail charged with misdemeanor battery. he was arrested at the royal palm movie theater giving people he didn't know wedgies and recording them. he says it was supposed to be a joke. some people laughed. they see the humor in it. other people say they can't see the humor in it. >> i don't like that. >> i don't think i'd like a stranger giving me a wedgy. >> i don't think i'd like anyone giving me a wedgy, especially a stranger. >> he could get knocked out. >> and you're a big guy. >> i'd feel so wimpy. i'd hide. how about this? 6'9" star college basketball

player. this is amazing. there was a wheelchair bound basketball fan at the game on saturday night. it was the win over south carolina state over number one duke. the fans rushed the court. the wheelchair guy right in the middle, he gets tossed to the ground. >> big time. >> this could have really ended very badly. well, c.j. leslie, 6'9", spots this going on, and scoops him up and saves his life. >> i mean, it was very dangerous for a little while. thank goodness for that. >> so we have a hoops hero. >> hoops hero, indeed. i love this story. a 67-year-old belgian woman has to pick her friend up at the train station. she winds up 900 miles away in croatia. >> i don't get that. >> she said she didn't quite question it. 900 miles away. les away.

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this morning on "world news now," winter woes. ice on the west coast, heat in the south, and snow about to slam the northeast. >> it's the latest round of unpredictable weather in this ever changing season. it's wednesday, january 16th. from abc news, this is "world news now." >> good morning. i'm john muller. rob nelson is off today. >> and i'm sunny hostin in for paula faris. we'll have a look at the forecast in a minute. first, some of the other stories we're following for you this half hour. president obama is set to exercise his executive muscle. he'll announce new gun control measures today that don't need the okay from lawmakers. it comes on the heels of sweeping new legislation cracking down on guns in new york state. also this half hour, a little girl lost and found less than 24 hours after being abducted from a school. a 5-year-old is found hiding,

slivering, and half clothed under a slide in a playground. what happened in the hour she was missing, that's a mystery. this morning, we hear from the man who found her. and in "the skinny," charlie sheen, everybody remembers charlie sheen, from bad boy to the most traditional role of all. the latest and most unlikely surprise, really, from sheen. he says it's one that makes him feel, quote, like the world's going to crack in half. >> that's a tease. >> yeah, winning. >> winning. i'll stick around to hear about that. but first, let's talk about a messy weather system hitting states across the nation. >> from an ice storm to winds and rain to the threat of a significant snowfall, in southern california they're in the grips of an unusual cold snap. for drivers not used to icy roads, getting around was a challenge. for folks used to basking in the

warm california sun, two layers and hand warmers were the must-have accessories. >> all right. in the state of alabama, a very strange situation there. freezing rain and snow hit the northern part of the state. a layer of ice coated the trees and power lines. in the southern part of the state, it was muddy and warm. temperatures there near 80 degrees. that's wild stuff. after an unusually warm week, the winter weather hitting parts of alabama is stretching into the tennessee valley and the northeast. >> and the ice and snow could spell disaster on the roads. accuweather meteorologist jim dickey joins us with the forecast. good morning, jim. >> good morning, john and sunny. a wintry mess on our hands today. we have a frontal boundary stalled out from the mid-atlantic through the lower mississippi valley. wide range of temperatures here ahead of it. temperatures this morning in the 50s, near 60s, but 20s back on into the plains. that cold air remains at the surface. warm air aloft. that continues to keep freezing rain in place across especially eastern kentucky here. ice storm warnings ongoing.

many spots have already seen a half inch of ice accumulating on power lines, on trees. that could leave some power outages and certainly slick spots on the roadways. take your time as you head out and about this morning. this while we're dealing with snow from pennsylvania up through new england. many spots 1 to 3 inches of accumulation. back to you. >> thanks, jim. and 79 days after hurricane sandy slammed the northeast, lawmakers in the house have approved about $50 billion of additional relief for the region. the vote 241-180 passed mostly behind democratic support. on storm ravaged staten island, homes that cannot be salvaged are coming down. >> just so many great memories. we all grew up in this home. >> the senate is expected to quickly approve the funding bill and send it to president obama's desk. president obama unveils a sweeping gun control proposal today at the white house. it's expected to include a new ban on assault weapons and high capacity ammunition magazines as well as over a dozen steps that don't need congressional approval. just yesterday new york governor

andrew cuomo signed the nation's toughest gun control law into effect. among its provisions is a ban on assault weapons. meanwhile, two shootings to report. the first in kentucky. two people were killed and a teenager wounded when a gunman fired into their vehicle at a community college. it's believed the shooting stemmed from a domestic issue. a suspect later turned himself in. and in downtown st. louis, the financial aid director of a business school was wounded by an apparently disgruntled student. that student does have a mental disability and was told on monday he was losing his financial assistance. after shooting the administrator, the student then shot himself. both men remain hospitalized, which is really something. you're seeing more and more -- at least we're reporting on these incidents of shootings at schools after newtown. it just seems that it's happening over and over again.

of course, you know, we've got all this legislation coming in. at least from new york. i suspect we're going to see it just all over the country. >> clearly big controversy. listen to this one. the national rifle association releasing a new video on its website tuesday. it calls president obama a, quote, elitist hypocrite, for having secret service protection of his daughters at school but saying he was skeptical about installing guards in all schools. >> i think what's fascinating about that particular video, it starts out by saying in sort of this booming voice, are the president's kids more important than yours? then why is he skeptical about putting armed security in our schools when his kids are protected by armed guards at their school? >> don't you think that's confusing the issue a little? he's the president. i mean, come on. >> clearly, but it goes to show you how emotional this issue is. >> absolutely. so let's cloud the issue so we can't get to the bottom of it, right? all right. more trouble this morning for

the boeing dreamliner. two japanese airlines have grounded their fleets of 787s after an emergency landing in western japan. the flight was headed to tokyo this morning when its battery alarm signal went off and passengers smelled smoke. the dreamliners have been plagued with a streak of problems. it's not clear when the japan airlines will fly again. and now to a bizarre kidnapping in philadelphia. a 5-year-old girl is back with her family after being abducted from her school. a woman claiming to be her child's mother took her from her kindergarten class monday. the surveillance video shows a woman in muslim garb covering everything but her eyes, similar to what the girl's mother wears. >> she said she was cold and somebody was chasing her. and she ran. i asked her where's her mother and her father at. she said that, i don't know, somebody was chasing me, i ran. and she said she came from south philly. >> you knew something was --

>> yeah, i knew something was wrong. i said there's no way she could have ran from south philly. >> police say the girl showed no overt signs of injury, but it's still not clear if she was sexually assaulted. the school district is calling the incident a complete breakdown in protocol. well, a shoutout this morning to a colleague at our sister network, stewart scott. the sportscenter anchor battling an undisclosed type of cancer. he was diagnosed in 2007. scott has already had three chemo treatments. after each one, he's gone to work out. scott says that's his way of battling the disease. good luck to him. and to the latest on the lance armstrong case. armstrong may be coming clean to oprah, but that's not enough for anti-doping officials. they want the disgraced former champ to fully confess under

oath if he wants to return to the sports world. right now, armstrong is banned for life from participating in any olympic competition. >> interesting one there, huh? >> i know. i understand now that oprah is sort of breaking it up into a two-day interview. at first it was just one day. there's so much interest in it. i think what's intriguing to me is that he may be giving up other names because he wants to have less -- i guess he doesn't want this lifetime ban. is he really going to compete at this stage of his life? >> he's 41 years old. i'm wondering what he really imagines what he wants to do. by the way, oprah says he didn't come clean in the manner she expected. she didn't really qualify that. we'll have to see the interview and see what she means. >> who knows? everybody is going to watch. i know i am. we said this before here on "world news now," you never really know what's going to happen during a european soccer

match. here's the latest evidence. >> got to love this one. two dogs somehow getting on to the field last weekend during an exhibition match in turkey. one was running around with a hat in its mouth while getting friendly with some of the players. >> no one on the field seemed too concerned. eventually both dogs were carried off by grounds keepers. the game was allowed to resume. got to love that. >> really? well, coming up, we're talking sad songs. grab your tissue box and stick around. and later, forget the messy coupon organizer. how your new car might be able to tell you about great deals as you drive down the street. you're watching "world news now." how far will people go to relieve their sore throat?

try these. new cepacol sensations cools instantly, and has an active ingredient that stays with you long after the lozenge is gone. not just a sensation, sensational relief. have given way to sleeping. tossing and turning where sleepless nights yield to restful sleep. and lunesta®(eszopiclone) can help you get there. like it has for so many people before. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. lunesta should not be taken together with alcohol. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations, or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur.

alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions such as tongue or throat swelling occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness, and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. then find out how to get lunesta for as low as fifteen dollars at lunesta.com. there's a land of restful sleep. we can help you go there on the wings of lunesta.

♪ ♪ we are listening to adele on repeat around here, which has some of the staff in tears. willis is off in the corner crying. >> still crying, willis? >> now he's laughing. >> adele is no doubt one of the hottest singers, even winning a golden globe on sunday night. but is there a secret behind her music? lana zach is here to give us her take. good morning. >> good morning. you know, adele is a master at sad songs. she can turn haunting tunes and tear-inducing lyrics into chart toppers. some new research may just hold the clues as to why. is there a sad song you just love?

>> definitely "jar of hearts" by christina perri. >> "everybody hurts" by r.e.m. >> it would have to be adele, "someone like you." ♪ >> reporter: there is something funny about enjoying sadness, which got us wondering, are we just gluttons for punishment, or is there a reason we crave things that make us cry? researchers are finding our brains are actually hard wired to be thrilled by these bursts of sadness. >> music in a sense plays with this biology it that we have. >> reporter: this doctor measured signs of exhilaration, goose bump, increased heart rate, and found that great music produces a remarkable response in the brain. >> we found that it elicited activity similar to other strongly emotional and pleasurable stimulus like chocolate, like sex, and even like certain drugs such as cocaine. >> so can music be addictive? >> it gives you the same high, the same pleasure you might get from something really dangerous like a drug. >> reporter: even since mozart's

time, composers have known how to push our brain's buttons. listen to adele. hear how she holds that note on "you" and does that flourish at the end? that's it. scientists say our brain loves that tension. and it isn't just sad songs. apparently tragic movies make us happy. >> i'll never let go. i promise. >> reporter: maybe that's why "titanic" is one of the highest grossing films of all time. >> it may seem counterintuitive to spend two hours with a sad movie and feel happy about your life. but because of the sad emotions, you think more about the people you care most about and it makes you a lot happier. >> i waited for you for seven years. now it's too late.

>> reporter: so next time you need a little pick me up, go ahead and curl up with "the notebook" or put kd lang on repeat. nothing makes us happier. and don't get the wrong impression. it isn't just the sad themes that move us in this way. classical music was tested and it was found that the rush came in sad songs without lyrics. >> i don't like sad movies. i like sunshine and rainbows and unicorns. >> there you go. sugar, spice, and everything nice. >> yes. >> i like sad songs. i love sad songs. i don't particularly like sad movies. >> i don't like a good cry. i did choose a favorite sad song. >> cue it up. >> i do like whitney houston's "i will always love you." who doesn't like that one? >> it makes you happy. it's counterintuitive. >> happy, but her voice is so incredible. >> you're smiling. i think you're happy.

>> here's one i picked that sort of still makes me feel good somehow. even though you want to slit your wrists. play it. ♪ i said something wrong now i long for yesterday ♪ >> that's so sad. >> i know. it makes me feel good. i don't know why. now i know why. it produces dopamine in my brain. >> do you have a favorite sad one? >> i have a sad song, a paul simon song "father and daughter." it's so sad i can't talk about it without getting choked up. we'll leave it at that. >> thanks so much for joining us this morning. we are sad now. thank you. >> but in a good way. thank you. all right. still to come, charlie sheen full of surprises. >> his next venture is surprisingly traditional and perhaps not so sad. you're watching "world news now." hey, travis... get some friends, loser!

so, are you all right, man? ♪ lean on me, thanks. ♪ when you're not strong, and i'll be your friend. ♪ ♪ i'll help you carry on... ♪ what does home feel like? it's in the faces of americans who built generations of memories in their home and then saw it slipping away. until friends they have never met, turned out to lend a hand. for more than 30 years, rebuilding together has spread hope to home owners in need. providing free home rehabilitation, making homes safer and more energy efficient. go to rebuilding together dot org and share the feeling of home.

♪ ♪ that's right, willis. well, now it is time for "the skinny." "american idol" is rolling out tonight. i'm a big fan. i think you are as well. nicki minaj is opening up about that feud with mariah carey. she was on "ellen" today. take a listen to what she had to say. >> i heard them saying mariah doesn't want you on the panel. i was like, i'm friends with mariah. i was arguing people down.

don't believe everything you read. you're crazy. i went there and started feeling a little bit of the shade. i just kind of overcompensated by being crazier. i'm not a crazy psycho, you guys. i swear. i'm serious. >> see? that's the thing. we all saw sort of that tmz video where she was screaming at mariah. mariah told our very own barbara walters that she feared for her life and had to have extra security because nicki minaj threatened her. hopefully she isn't some crazy psycho and they get along at the end of the day on "american idol." we'll all certainly be watching. >> her life is rather extreme. >> well, apparently. according to mariah, she threatened her with violence. she said she was actually fearful. >> should we stick with

"american idol"? >> yes. >> the judges are the focus of the new season. there's a big price tag. $36 million worth of judges. >> i hope they're worth it. >> i hope they're worth it too. the show does too. the ratings have been eroded. its lost it's stat us as the most watched tv program of all time. it was eclipsed by sunday night football last year. the question is, will the big bucks of these judges be enough to get it back on top? >> we'll see. i'm going to be watching. charlie sheen has an interesting announcement. he's 47 years old and guess what he's going to be? >> what's he going to be? >> a grandfather. who knew? he had a child when he was 19 years old. her name is cassandra. he takes it very seriously. he's actually kind of excited about it. so congratulations. >> wouldn't he be the best grandpa ever in a way? >> he's cool. >> exactly. >> exactly. wouldn 'he can the coolest

grandpa ever? for two days. then put a febreze car vent clip on the dash and let in real people. it smells good. like laundry fresh out of like the dryer. yeah. a man fresh out of the shower. nailed it. oh yeah. proof. febreze car vent clips keep your car fresh. another way febreze helps you breathe happy.

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♪ well, if there was a high-tech way to save cash while you're driving, would you do it? >> saving cash is always good. i don't know about the driving part. there is an app, though, that can help you find a deal wile you're in your car. abc's abbie boudreau took a test drive. >> reporter: those days of hunting through piles and piles of coupons to find that perfect deal are over. >> we're kind of moving into this age of the connected car. >> reporter: now a new app called proximity can help your car find deems as you drive. >> while you're driving around, you don't have to take your eyes off the road. >> reporter: now all those paper coupons you get in the mail will become realtime deals in the car. you start by launching the app

on your smart phone to your car. >> proximity, please say a command. >> lunch. >> reporter: it's so new, only some ford and lincoln drivers can access the app. >> oh, look. right here. >> reporter: the valpak offer was buy one fat deal meal and get a second one free, a savings of about $5. >> doesn't it taste better when it's free? >> reporter: okay. cop-a-tan just popped up. if it's a deal. this deal was buy one stray tan for $40 and get a second session free. if this deal never popped up, i never would have gotten it. i actually kind of like it. and there are thousands of other deals. even free doggy day care. but after a long day of wheeling and dealing, why not end it at the spa? this has to be the best deal of

the day. the valpak offer was buy a facial and get a free mani pedi, a savings of $35. did i mention the app is free? abc news, los angeles. >> oh, i love that. >> why do i get the feeling you're a coupon person? i think i'm speaking on behalf of most dudes -- >> you don't coupon? >> i like saving money, but i'm too lazy to coupon. >> now you don't have to because you have the app. >> i'm too lazy to get the app. all right. that's our news in a half hour. don't miss the updates on facebook at wnnfans.com. >> and on twitter. we'll be right back. you only know, in a fire, to get out, to escape, and now, okay, you're outside and you're safe,

but what do you do now? and that's where the red cross came in. we ran out of the house just wearing our pajamas. at that point, just to even have a toothbrush that i could call my own was so important, you know, it just makes you feel like a person again. . nicoh... oh! oh! red! red! red! yes! yes! come on! oh. no! . oh...mmer. [children shouting] hoops? yeah. sure. sure. announcer: moms everywhere are finding ways to keep kids active and healthy. works every time. announcer: get ideas. get involved. get going at letsmove.gov.

good for him. that's what's making news in america this morning. >> stay with us for "good morning america."

this morning, putting on the pressure. >> in just hours, the president outlines the most aggressive gun control plan in generations. opponents are ready, including the nra, releasing a rebuttal overnight. we're live in washington. developing overnight, new problems for boeing's high-tech dreamliner. two airlines grounding their fleets of the new jetliner after an emergency landing this morning. autism discovery. doctors have a shocking claim that some children can outgrow it. we'll have details. and artistic inspiration. the incredible work from the young artist who says he often forgets that he was born without hands. good morning. i'm sunny hostin. >> i'm john muller. rob and paula are off this morning. today, the president makes good on his pledge for urgent action after the sandy hook shooting. >> he will reveal the most sweeping